Bib-type painter&#39;s aid



Nov. 8, 1966 J. F. JONES BIB-TYPE PAINTER'S AID Filed June 29. 1965 I I/ll 52 fine 48 Jefferson E Jones 1 N V ENTOR.

0 BY WW 5 a Attorneys United States Patent 3,283,971 BIB-TYPE PAINTERS AID Jefferson F. Jones, P.0. Box 20142, Montclair Station, Denver, Colo.

Filed June 29, 1965, Ser. No. 467,882 2 Claims. (Cl. 224-5) The present invention relates to a readily attachable and detachable bib-type apron provided with a self-contained paint bucket and which is structurally, functionally and in other way-s constructed to save time, laborious effort and greatly assist the painter who applies and wears it correctly.

The general objective and purpose of this appliance or aid is to provide the painter with a simple, practical and feasible body-attached, self-contained paint bucket which enables the painter to cut in around doors, casings and trim while having both 'hands free to do the work effectually, to practically eliminate the step of having to stoop to the floor to reach to paint in a separate bucket or to hold a bucket in one hand and the brush in the other while Working, often precariously, on a scaffold.

In carrying out the preferred embodiment of the invention and taking into account the overall objectives to be attained the form and construction of the invention settled upon has to do with a rigid bib which is hung in a free swinging position either when the painter is in an upright position or bent over in what may be called a self-accommodating pendulous manner. The bib takes the form of a rigid plate and provides both the bib and apron and it is such in size and shape that it accommodates a pan-shaped paint bucket which holds approximately one quart of paint and which is capable of being readily attached and detached allowing the painter to use more than one pan and changing paint colors Without notice-able delay. Then, too, the invention comprises the structure stated and wherein a relatively small pouch-like rigid pocket is provided at the lefthand corner to hold a small amount of putty, the median part of the plate having a permanent magnet attached to support and retain a small sash tool or brush when not being used.

It will assist in evaluating and appraising the invention to take note of the fact that it is a novel advance in the art and a significant improvement upon a similar and generally analogous adaptation identified as a combination paint bucket and apron and disclosed in a patent to J. J. Wittrnan, Sr., more particularly Patent No. 2,945,614. In the present invention instead of using a flexible cloth, canvas or plastic bib or apron and without requiring a body-encircling belt, the present invention relies upon the aforementioned bib-type apron which is characterized by a fiat-faced noncorrodible plate which is generally rectangular and which provides the function of both the bib and apron and which because it is rigid supports a detachable rigid pan-like paint bucket at the bottom which can be readily applied and removed and accommodates a holder-type neck strap which is broad and comparatively stiff and approximately self-shape-sustaining to suspend the bib and pan or bucket and to provide the free pendulous readily accessible result herein desired.

Then, too, the invention pertains to a strap, plate and pan combination having the putty receptacle and magnet thus providing a multipurpose adaptation. In fact, the invention has been experimentally used and trial tests have shown that it is reliable and helpful. It has proved out to be a timesalver to the professional as -well as the amateur or do-it-yourself painter. The free swinging motion in a standing, stooping or kneeling position was found to be highly satisfactory and allows for maximum accessibility at all times.

3,283,971 Patented Nov. 8, 1966 These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a bib-type painters aid constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and showing the same in readiness for use;

FIGURE 2 is a view on an enlarged scale taken on the plane of the vertical section line 22 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view on a relatively small scale observing the structure of FIG. 1 in a direction from right to left.

It will be noted that the overall ready-to-use device is characterized by three properly oriented and coordinating units or component parts; namely the bib-type apron 6, the readily attachable and detachable pan-shaped paint bucket 8 and the attaching and supporting halter 10.

The plate is substantially rectangular and flat-faced and is made of noncorrodibl-e easy-to-clean sheet metal, aluminnm for example. The upper half-portion is identified as the bib 12 and the lower half-portion as the apron 14. This apron portion is provided above the bottom edge 16 (FIG. 2) with a pair of coplanar longitudinally spaced keeper slots 18. The upper median portion of the bib is provided with a conveniently arranged permanent magnet 20 held in place by a rivet or the like 22. This magnet is p refer-ably associated with an outstanding appropriately located support hook 22. The magnet is used in practice to support the magnetizable band of a conventional type paint brush 24. More specifically the band is attached magnetically to the magnet and the handle portion is cradled in the L-shaped stabilizing bracket 26. The upper lefthand corner portion is provided with a receiver and holder for putty which comprises a substantially semicircular pouch or receiver 28 having a flat front Wall 30 and a curvate marginal portion 32 with its edges 34 fixedly joined to the coacting fiat surface of the plate.

The suspension halter 10 comprises a firm leather or equivalent neck strap which is U-shaped in shape and has a bight portion 36 and arm or limb portions whose ends 38 are superimposed on and riveted to the corner portions of the plate as denoted at 40. The strap is fairly stiff and virtually shape-sustaining so that it assumes the well fitting position and relationship illustrated in FIG. 1. Consequently, when the pan-type aid is put on the person the halter or strap hangs nicely around the neck and over the shoulders with the plate 6 poised in front of the chest of the painter (not detailed).

The paint bucket 8 is perhaps best described as an elongated rectangular open top attachable and detachable paint pan, the same being for a capacity of at least one quart and having a flat bottom wall 42, a front wall 44, back wall 46 and end walls 48. These walls are flat and the wall 46 bears firmly against the surface of the plate between the keeper slots 18 and the lower edge 16. The upper edge portion is provided with a pair of narrow tongues which are laterally offset as at 50 and which provide attaching and retaining brackets or keepers 52. It is an easy matter to line up keepers with the plate or the plate with the keepers and then insert the keepers through the keeper slots and allow the weight of the pan to drop down to assume the self-hanging position illustrated in FIG. 2. In practice it is to be assumed that the paint pan 8 will be made in one piece through a drawn process of stamping with a minimum one-half inch radius in the corner, the putty pocket 28 may be riveted, soldered or otherwise applied and fixed in position and the magnet will probably be of crucible steel approximately the proportionate size illustrated.

It is submitted that the reader should have no trouble determining when the device is in position the halter or neck strap merely hangs around the neck and suspends the other two units 6 and 8 in a hanging position in a sort of pendulous manner whereby the paint pan 8 is approximately self-leveling and lends itself to ready and available use. In practice it has been found that the painter can stand upright and do approximately 75% of the painting without stooping.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A painters aid device comprising a panel formed of substantially rigid material and of a size and shape to define a bib-like apron, said panel having upper and lower end portions, flexible neck embracing means carried by the upper end portion for supporting the panel in a vertical overlying position relative to the front of the upper torso of the body of a user with the panel being adapted to assume a substantially vertical position bearing against the front of the upper torso of the body of a user who is in a standing erect position and the panel being swingable in a pendulous manner out of such engagement and away from the front of the users body when the user leans forwardly with the panel then in a vertical suspended position, said panel having a flat front face, a rigid receptacle adapted to contain paint or similar liquid and having a rigid bottom wall, side walls and front and rear walls, said walls being connected and said receptacle having an open top, said rigid rear wall of the receptacle having a fiat rear face, and means cooperatively carried by the rear wall of the receptacle and the panel for removably securely mounting the receptacle on the front face of the panel with the receptacle positioned transversely of the panel and disposed at the lower end portion thereof and with the rear face of the rear wall of the receptacle engaging the front face of the panel in fixed face to face surface contacting relation therewith, said cooperative securing means including the provision of transverse slots formed through the panel at the lower end portion and spaced apart widthwise thereof, said panel having a substantially flat rear face, flat retainer tongues connected in upstanding offset rearward parallel relation with the rear wall of the receptacle, lateral shoulders connecting the tongues to the rear wall of the receptacle and said tongues being passed through the slots and engaging the rear face of the panel with the shoulders seated on the lower bounding edges of the slots.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein means is provided on the front face of the panel above the open top of the receptacle for supporting a paint brush in an angular position and detachably superimposed on the front face with the bristle end portion of the brush facing downwardly and overlying the open top of the receptacle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,109,161 9/1914 Chindgren 2245 1,445,400 2/ 1923 Kisselhoff 22425 X 2,717,109 9/1955 Walsh 224-25 X 2,73 8,909 3/ 1956 Shadoin et al. 2245 2,945,614 7/1960 Wittrnann 224-5 2,985,349 5/ 19-61 McGuire 224--5 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

F. WERNER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PAINTER''S AID DEVICE COMPRISING A PANEL FORMED OF SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID MATERIAL AND OF A SIZE AND SHAPE TO DEFINE A BIB-LIKE APRON, SAID PANEL HAVING UPPER AND LOWER END PORTIONS, FLEXIBLE NECK EMBRACING MEANS CARRIED BY THE UPPER END PORTION FOR SUPPORTING THE PANEL IN A VERTICAL OVERLYING POSITION RELATIVE TO THE FRONT OF THE UPPER TORSO OF THE BODY OF A USER WITH A PANEL BEING ADAPTED TO ASSUME A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL POSITION BEARING AGAINST THE FRONT OF THE UPPER TORSO OF THE BODY OF A USER WHO IS IN A STANDING ERECT POSITION AND THE PANEL BEING SWINGABLE IN A PENDULOUS MANNER OUT OF SUCH ENGAGEMENT AND AWAY FROM THE FRONT OF THE USER''S BODY WHEN THE USER LEANS FORWARDLY WITH THE PANEL THEN IN A VERTICAL SUSPENDED POSITION, SAID PANEL HAVING A FLAT FRONT FACE, A RIGID RECEPTACLE ADAPTED TO CONTAIN PAINT OR SIMILAR LIQUID AND HAVING A RIGID BOTTOM WALL, SIDE WALL AND FRONT AND REAR WALLS, SAID WALLS BEING CONNECTED AND SAID RECEPTACLE HAVING AN OPEN TOP, SAID RIGID REAR WALL OF THE RECEPTACLE HAVING A FLAT REAR FACE, AND MEANS COOPERATIVELY CARRIED BY THE REAR WALL OF THE RECEPTACLE AND THE PANEL FOR REMOVABLY SECURELY MOUNTING THE RECEPTACLE ON THE FRONT FACE OF THE PANEL WITH THE RECEPTACLE POSITIONED TRANSVERSELY OF THE PANEL AND DISPOSED AT THE LOWER END PORTION THEREOF AND WITH THE REAR FACE OF THE REAR WALL OF THE RECEPTACLE ENGAGING THE FRONT FACE OF THE PANEL IN FIXED FACE TO FACE SURFACE CONTACTING RELATION THEREWITH, SAID COOPERATIVE SECURING MEANS INCLUDING THE PROVISION OF TRANSVERSE SLOTS FORMED THROUGH THE PANEL AT THE LOWER END PORTION AND SPACED APART WIDTHWISE THEREOF, SAID PANEL HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT REAR FACE, FLAT RETAINER TONGUES CONNECTED IN UPSTANDING OFFSET REARWARD PARALLEL RELATION WITH THE REAR WALL OF THE RECEPTACLE, LATERAL SHOULDERS CONNECTING THE TONGUES TO THE REAR WALL OF THE RECEPTACLE AND SAID TONGUES BEING PASSED THROUGH THE SLOTS AND ENGAGING THE REAR FACE OF THE PANEL WITH THE SHOULDERS SEATED ON THE LOWER BOUNDING EDGES OF THE SLOTS. 